About the Trust

The objective of the Trust is to benefit the community through its charitable work in Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa. This includes providing a range of elder care services and educational grants.

The Napier District Masonic Trust was incorporated in December 1961 to assist in charitable, educational and scientific purposes, to supply the needs of the sick, aged and infirm and to help the needy, as well as to assist organisations of similar mind. The immediate objective was to build 12 pensioner flats with a plan to extend the number as finance became available. Currently the Trust has eight Occupational Right Villages plus a rental site, a total of 209 units in and around Taradale and Napier.

In 1986 the Trust developed the Rest Home and Continuing Care unit at 15 Devonshire Place. The facility is a vibrant and superb service to residents cared for by a dedicated team of health care assistants and nurses.

Trust Board

The board consists of eleven members, one representative from each of the three Napier Lodges and one from the Wairoa Lodge. In addition there is a representative of the Divisional Grand Master, and six elected or appointed members, who each bring special skills to the board, eg accountancy, nursing etc. Trustees volunteer their services and meet monthly.

Charitable Work

In the early years the Trust assisted other groups financially such as the Presbyterian Support Group, Princess Alexander hospital and the YMCA while construction of their respective facilities was taking place. Assistance was also provided to many charities such as the Multiple Sclerosis Society with the purchase of a vehicle; Cranford Hospice and others amounting to well over $100,000.00, including bursaries for Outward Bound courses.

Currently the ‘Bill Dobson Trust’ provides scholarships for four Napier secondary students each year, which continue for three years of university study.

Two further annual scholarships are also granted to children or grandchildren of staff members for education purposes, as well as an Outward Bound scholarship for a Wairoa College student.

Further assistance is given each year to organisations within the community. Assistance is based on need and reviewed annually making sure it falls within the philosophy of the board.